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Vintage Glamour for the Modern Bride

Smita Malhotra — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 14:05:19 +0000

As you are looking for that something old, something new … the old is back in style! The details and old world glamour of vintage weddings are absolutely amazing and timeless. While you look for inspiration for your fabulous vintage affair, I wanted to share a shoot I recently did at an amazing location in Tustin, CA, The McCharles House. Built in 1885, this Queen Anne Victorian house has provided the scenery for many beautiful weddings and has been featured in numerous publications. Thanks to the styling of Just Wenderful and the vintage finds of Better than Naked, this mini-shoot brought back the fabulous styles of days past!

: Photo Credit: Smita Photography

: Photo Credit: Smita Photography

: Photo Credit: Smita Photography

: Photo Credit: Smita Photography

Birdcage veils/accessories: Tessa Kim
Makeup: Lisa O’Connor
Florals: Pixie’s Petals
Fabric Garlands: Hank+Hunt
Models: Melanie Medina, Nicole Bird

Getting the Most from Your Engagement Photoshoot

Smita Malhotra — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 14:07:17 +0000

Ever since I started my own photography business, my perspective has changed from being the bride, to being on the other side of the lens. After working with some fabulous couples for their engagement shoots, it dawned on me to write a blog post about how to get the most out of these sessions!

So here are a couple of things to keep in mind when you are planning your engagement pictures:

Style- The first thing to think about is what kind of photography you prefer. Do you like traditional posed shots? Or do you like natural photojournalistic shots? Decide what style you like, and then pick the photographer that matches your desires based on what you see on their website/blog.

Scheduling- Ideally, you should schedule your engagement shoot at least three months before the wedding. This will give enough time for you and your photographer to come up with innovative ideas for using your pictures on the big day. Canvas prints displayed at the reception or custom designed guestbooks with your engagement pictures are some of many awesome ideas!

Timing- As light is important in photography, so is the time of day for an engagement shoot. You want to avoid the mid-morning-mid-afternoon hours where the sunlight is bright, creating harsh shadows and squinty eyes. The tears should be those of happiness, not from the glare of the sun! The best time of day is the early morning and late afternoon hours. My favorite moments are when the sun is gently setting, providing natural glowing light that will provide a backdrop as beautiful as you are.

Location – try to pick a location that is meaningful to you. Maybe it’s where you first met…or had your first date. Maybe it’s a place where you both enjoy spending time. If you cannot think of anything, your photographer should have several suggestions for interesting locations to try. I also suggest bringing ‘props’ with you. For example if you are at a beach, an umbrella, watermelon and sunglasses can add so much to the scene. Get creative! I’ve seen couples bring bikes, a picnic setup, their pet, balloons and yes, even a vuvuzela!

Hair/Makeup – The engagement shoot is a great opportunity to use your hair/makeup trial and experiment with different looks for the wedding day. While you may not want to get a fancy updo for the engagement shoot, it will give you an idea of what you may want for any other events leading up to the big day.

Wardrobe- Bright solid colors make images pop and light up the face. While it is ok to do a formal and a casual look, adding any more outfit changes will cut into the shooting time and decrease the amount of time you will have with the most desirable natural light.

These are just a couple of suggestions to get the most out of your modeling debut . Most importantly, get comfortable in front of the camera and don’t be afraid to be fabulous!

Photo Credit: Smita Photography

Photo Credit: AK Sandhu

Magazine Style Glamour for the South Asian Bride

Smita Malhotra — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 17:16:29 +0000

One thing Indian weddings do not lack is events. And boy are there many of them! Known to last from a few days to almost two weeks, you may feel at a loss when attempting to create unique looks for each special occasion.

This is when you look to magazines for inspiration. Looking at the glossy ads for bridal-wear in a magazine can be both exciting and confusing. While the possibility of glamour can be exhilarating, you are also left wondering: can I really pull this off? The answer is definitely: yes! It’s all about having confidence and the right team of people by your side.

Check out this photo shoot for inspiration by photographer Binita Patel, who recently shot this spread of real women just like you at the lovely Mandarin Oriental Boston. I love the variety of colors and the gorgeous hair accessories to match! These women will certainly provide you with inspiration for your big day!

Saree Styling & Accessorizing: Anju Pathak
Select Couture: Seema Kapoor of Choonri Collection
Hair: Meghan Shea
Make-Up: Christy Lavalle, Margi Patel, Shreni Patel and Janelle DiLisio
Location: Mandarin Oriental Boston
Photography: Binita Patel Photography

Photo Credit: Binita Patel PhotographyPhoto Credit: Binita Patel Photography

Photo Credit: Binita Patel Photography

Fashion Inspired Global Sophistication…for the Groom!

Smita Malhotra — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 13:38:59 +0000

There are parts of Africa where children are so stricken with poverty that they cannot attend school. Strict cultural rules about appearance require children to have a proper uniform and as most cannot afford basic necessities, their education is sacrificed. So what does this have to do with your wedding you may ask?

Enter Heather Hasson, a social entrepreneur who has combined her love for fashion with her passion to help others with FIGS (Fashion Inspired Global Sophistication). The concept is ‘threads for threads’–FIGS provides custom bow ties or neck ties for your special guy and your bridal party in a variety of designs. And in return for each tie purchased, FIGS gives a uniform to a child to attend school!

Photo Credit: WearFIGS.com

What a perfect concept for the modern bride who is both fashion forward and globally conscious!

Photo Credit: Smita Malhotra

The Colors of South Asian Bridal Beauty

Smita Malhotra — Thu, 20 May 2010 14:13:29 +0000

From time immemorial, Indian bridal wear has given prestige to the color red. Red is a symbol of auspiciousness in the Hindu religion and thought to bring the happy couple joy and prosperity. For this reason, most brides choose this stunning and traditional color on their special day.

Photo Credit: Smita Malhotra

As times have changed through the years, so have the trends. It is not surprising these days to see Indian brides wearing colors from all parts of the rainbow! While most brides travel across the globe to the motherland to find their special outfit, some find it online! Here are some color inspirations from Trends of India: an online company that ships South Asian bridal wear right to your front door!

Dear South Asian bride, I encourage you to think out of the box when you go bridal wear shopping. Give those non-red colors a chance … who knows? Maybe you’ll fall in love all over again?

Photo Credit: Trends of India

Great Source for Wedding Day Entertainment

Smita Malhotra — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:15:36 +0000

Looking for a way to bring your wedding to life? Searching for a reggae band? A bagpiper? An emcee? A hip-hop singer?

Whatever your choice of wedding entertainment may be, you might not have to search too hard. Check out Gig Masters! I came across their website while helping to plan a friend’s wedding. What a wonderful idea to make all different kinds of wedding entertainment easily available all on one site!

Photo Credit: GigMasters.com

At Gig Masters there are customer reviews, average price ranges and even audio and video from the performer’s past events and listings of their future events. This way you can even check them out before you hire them. What a great concept!

Photo Credit: Smita Malhotra

Wedding Day Charity

Smita Malhotra — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:05:39 +0000

Have you ever wondered how to make your wedding bigger than yourself? With all of the events going on in the world right now and the plethora of charities that need support, as the bride and groom you can customize your very own charitable wedding with the help of the I Do Foundation. Based in Washington, DC, the foundation was created in 2002 by a group of nonprofit leaders who wanted to connect young engaged couples with all the charitable options for wedding day giving. They work with some of the most renowned nonprofits in the country.

Photo Credit: IDoFoundation.org

Some of the great features I found on their website is the charitable gift registry where several major department stores will donate a portion of your registry to charity. You can even create a ‘charity registry’ where you raise money for a specific cause. From favors to invitations, every single detail of your wedding can play a part in making the world a better place. Now that’s what I call charitable giving!

Photo Credit: Smita Malhotra

A fun way to say ‘Thank You’!

Smita Malhotra — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:11:17 +0000

When planning your wedding, don’t forget to think about the little details that come after all the festivities and the amazing honeymoon are over … the thank you cards! ‘What?’ you say! Not only do you have to plan your wedding, but you also have to think about what comes after it?? Trust me, it will be a decision you won’t regret!

Since I was, and still am the queen of acronyms, we decided to take a picture that appropriately displayed our appreciation and our personalities for our thank you cards! And we did this during our engagement shoot. I was so glad we thought ahead because making our thank you cards became a relatively easy process even though we were so exhausted from all the wedding festivities.

We chose to make our cards at cardstore.com where you can customize your cards with your own personal pictures. The result was unique, fun, and affordable thank you cards!

Photography by Tomas Ramos and Mary Lee Photography

Photography by Tomas Ramos

And After the Party is …

Smita Malhotra — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:02:51 +0000

Your reception has half an hour to go and as you look around the room, you notice your dad nodding off, your grandfather yawning incessantly, your mother checking her watch, your uncle saying goodbye … Looks like your party is winding down for most people except your friends who are still dancing all over the floor and making good use of that open bar! Time for the wedding after party- the perfect solution for those who traveled from far and wide to celebrate your newly married state into the early hours of the morning!

So how do you plan this post wedding bash?

Get the word out!
While you may not want to put the after party information on your invitations, get the word out. Start telling your friends and younger relatives as you are wedding planning. Even if you do not have an exact location, let your guests know that there will be an after party to look forward to. You can even have the DJ announce it at the end of the reception.

Photo Credit: Smita Malhotra

Pick a location
A lot of times, hotels have bars that stay open late or they have a party suite that can be opened after hours. Inform the hotel that you would like a location for an after party. Most of the time, they allow you to use their facilities for free. Another idea is to have the party in your own bridal suite! And when you have had enough, you can call it a night on your own terms and in the luxury of your own room! You can also pick an outside venue and have your guests transported in a limo!

Most Important: Designate someone else to take care of the details

You have enough on your hands with planning a wedding! Designate a close friend or relative to be in charge of the after party. They can gather the beverages and have everyone chip in for the cost.

These are just a few simple steps to make sure your party lasts as long as everyone can still keep dancing!

Bringing out the Beauty of your Wedding Mehendi

Smita Malhotra — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 15:05:59 +0000

If you have ever been to an Indian wedding then you have probably seen the bride being adorned with mehendi or henna – a beautiful reddish dye that embellishes the bride’s hands and feet. Ever since the Mughals brought mehendi to India in the 12th century AD, it’s use has spread, making it an essential part of every hindu marriage ceremony. Mehendi is considered blessed and lucky and it is thought that the deeper and darker the color of the mehendi, the more prosperity the bride will bring to the marriage. It is for this reason that hindu brides will often sit for almost eight hours waiting for the paste to dry to bring out the richness of the color!

Oftentimes, the mehendi artist will hide the groom’s name in the design. On the wedding night, if the groom fails to find his name in the pattern, it is believed that the bride will be more dominant in the marriage! Now that’s an incentive to have a well hidden name!

The modern day mehendi ceremony is filled with family and friends getting together and celebrating. The women – guests/friends/family members alike line up to also get mehendi done for themselves..although not as intricate as the bride’s!

Here are some tips to ensure that you enjoy your mehendi ceremony:

1) Get your manicure done the day before – Mehendi takes a few days for the color to sink it. Getting the manicure after the mehendi is applied will affect the richness of the color. So pamper yourself and get a nice, relaxing massage of your hands and feet before applying the mehendi design!

2)No oils on your skin –Your skin should be well moisturized, but do not put any oils on your skin before applying the mehendi

Photo Credit: Yun Gen Yang Photography, Mehendi Design: Usha Bhavsar

3) Get your mehendi applied before the actual mehendi party- this allows you to be stress free at your own celebration and gives you the ability to mingle and watch as others get their mehendi applied. Also, everyone will admire your beautiful design!

4) After the mehendi is applied –soak the dry paste with a mixture of lemon and sugar. The mehendi should be left on for about 6-8 hours. Then scrape off the mehendi with a blunt object. Do not wash the areas with water for at least 24 hours. Avoid all chlorinated products and anything alkaline (of course this no longer applies on the honeymoon!)

Hopefully these simple tips will bring out the vibrant colors of your mehendi design and bring lasting prosperity to your marriage!